Basketball star suspended for allegedly hiding girlfriend in suitcase

A top player for the Guangzhou Loong Lions has been accused of sneaking a girl into the team dormitory

A Chinese basketball player has been suspended for violating club rules after he allegedly smuggled his girlfriend into his dormitory in a suitcase, according to local media reports.

Zhang Xingliang, who plays for the professional basketball club Guangzhou Loong Lions, did not handle his personal matters appropriately, the club reportedly stated on Wednesday.

The scandal unfolded a day ahead of Zhang’s club 103-90 loss to the Qingdao Eagles.

Basketball teams in China typically prohibit players from bringing guests, including girlfriends, into team dormitories, especially the night before games.

The unidentified girlfriend, who was described by some media as a struggling arts student, reportedly posted photos from the dormitory room on the social network Sina Weibo, including one of herself compressed inside a suitcase. The pictures went viral on social media, sparking an uproar.

Çin Basketbol Ligi’nde mücadele eden Guangzhou Loong Lions kulübünün oyuncusu Zhang Xingliang, kız arkadaşına ev ödevlerinde yardımcı olmak için takımın kaldığı otele bir bavul içinde gizlice sokmasının ardından kadro dışı cezası aldı. pic.twitter.com/kZ8ujQvjWM

— Büşra Seyis (@busrasays) January 10, 2025

The girl later deleted the controversial pictures, claiming she was studying English all night in the dormitory. Zhang also issued a public apology, confirming he was helping her with her homework.

According to the club statement, Zhang realized he “should set a higher requirement for himself as a young player.”

The 20-year-old Zhang has appeared in 26 games for the Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association league’s 2024-25 season, averaging 6.4 points per game.

According to the South China Morning Post, the club later denied that the suitcase smuggling incident happened. An anonymous official claimed the picture posted on the girlfriend’s social media account was actually taken in August during the offseason.

The club claimed the girl went to Zhang’s dormitory to help him pack clothes. Being curious about the large size of Zhang’s suitcase, asked him to take a picture of her inside of it.

The South China Morning Post report noted that many basketball fans have been blaming Zhang’s girlfriend for his performing not at a “stable level” in recent games.